1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to microfluidic cell culture devices.
2. Discussion
Microfluidic devices allow a user to work with nano- to microliter volumes of fluids and are useful for reducing reagent consumption, creating physiologic cell culture environments that better match the fluid-to-cell-volume ratios in vivo, and performing experiments that take advantage of low Reynolds number phenomenon such as subcellular treatment of cells with multiple laminar streams. Many microfluidic systems are made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) because of its favorable mechanical properties, optical transparency, and bio-compatibility.
Cell culture is an essential tool in biological science, clinical science, and biotechnology. Microfluidic cell culture devices offer the advantages of increased fluid control, approximated physiologic culture environments, and improved culture efficiency.
Microfluidic cell culture devices have been developed for diverse cell types such as Eukaryotic cells, lung cells, embryonic stem cells, and mammalian embryos.
Most microfluidic cell culture devices separate cell loading zones from designated cell culture zones. This separation requires additional external forces and elaborate works for the cell in the loading zone to be transported to the designated culture zone. Also, the transport processes can put stress on sensitive cells such as mammalian embryo or embryonic stem cells. In addition, once the cells reach the designated culture zone, additional design and fabrications are required for cell confinement to apply diverse culture conditions with flows.